They love the way he calls a game. They also appreciate how he handles himself behind the plate.

Ruiz won the Phils' Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award, which was announced Sunday on MLB Network. The award names "the best defensive player on each MLB club," which is determined by the statistical analysis of MLB Network's "shredder system" used by "Clubhouse Confidential," plus input from MLB Network analysts.

Ruiz, who made his first National League All-Star team last season, had a .994 fielding percentage, which tied for fifth in the big leagues among catchers. He also caught 34 percent of basestealers. Ruiz was a finalist for an NL Gold Glove Award, eventually losing to St. Louis' Yadier Molina.

The Phillies recently picked up Ruiz's $5 million club option for 2013.

More defensive awards are on the way. The GIBBY trophy for Defensive Player of the Year will be awarded as part of the 2012 Greatness in Baseball Yearly Awards, which are based on voting by media, front-office personnel, MLB alumni and the Society for American Baseball Research, as well as fan balloting on MLB.com.

From Nov. 12 through Dec. 2, fans will be able to cast their ballots at MLB.com for the year's top defensive star, with no individual league affiliation.

Todd Zolecki is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.